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Hiraeth: An arts outreach programme for unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Cambridgeshire.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)
COLLABORATORS

Eleanor Chapman (Cambridge Hub)

Ianthi Tsimpli (UCam)

John Jordan-Hills (Cambridge County Council’s Virtual School for Looked-After Children)

DURATION

2019 - 2021

DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT(S)

‘Hiraeth’ was a summer programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking adolescents in Cambridgeshire. Through a series of workshops and a participant-led radio programme, we aimed to improve their social capital and skills (e.g. English proficiency and communication, cookery, bike repair, mapping of their new home environment), leading to reduced social isolation and better mental health. The project also allowed us to evaluate the usefulness of the MyREF toolbox, and to build a network with third sector partners, which has led to the follow-on project ‘Supporting child refugee access to education and care’. Finally, Hiraeth helped to raise public awareness of the issues refugee children face through radio and TV broadcasts, and a museum exhibition.

CONNECTED PROJECT(S)
PRINCIPAL RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS
  • The exhibition Hiraeth: The voices of young refugees and asylum seekers in Cambridgeshire held at the Museum of Cambridge between 4 November and 16 December 2019.

  • Coverage of the exhibition by local TV channel That’s Cambridge at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW40uxmk_FM).

  • An article from the University’s External Communications team (https://www.cam.ac.uk/nowwearetalking) also furthered public engagement with Hiraeth.

  • Children on the Move Symposium at UCL (http://fass.open.ac.uk/psychology/events/international-symposium-children-move) with “Hiraeth: people can’t see you, but they’re hearing you”.

  • “Hiraeth : A language and integration project with asylum-seeking teenagers in Cambridge UK” at the  International Mobility, Migration and Wellbeing Conference & Workshop (RENTRE-2), organised by Istanbul University and Oxford Brookes University in December 2019.

WHY/HOW DOES YOUR PROJECT ADVANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE ON BILINGUALISM/MULTILINGUALISM/CONTACT?
WHAT IS THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF YOUR PROJECT?
  • Improved confidence and proficiency in English amongst refugee participants

  • Increased social capital & networks leading to reduced social isolation; engagement with community partners

  • Participants develop practical skills, with certificate awarded (as specified in project description)

  • Greater public awareness, empathy with and engagement with asylum seekers’ education/integration (e.g. through radio broadcasts)

  • Evaluation of MyREF Toolbox

LOCATION AND/OR IMPACT OF YOUR PROJECT

North-West Europe

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